Donald Trump just caved
Donald Trump’s grip over the federal government in general, and over the U.S. military in particular, is now slipping by the day. Numerous retired Generals and Admirals, including two who had jobs in his White House, have condemned him this week. And while he was out of town on Friday, his own Secretary of Defense Mark Esper disarmed the National Guard in Washington DC.
In a sign of just how tenuous Trump’s grasp is at this point, instead of firing Esper for going behind his back, Trump is now caving on the National Guard entirely:
I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control. They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020
.
This is notable because Donald Trump clearly did not want to do this. He wanted troops on the streets of Washington DC, whether it be the Army or the National Guard, as a show of force. Instead, once it became clear that the Pentagon wasn’t going to let him continue using the military to harass protesters, he’s now resorting to pretending it was his idea to pull the troops. He’s also pretending the massive protest crowds were somehow small in nature, which is almost hilarious.
